Elon Musk is privately telling Republican lawmakers that he is not responsible for the widespread firings of federal employees that have sparked nationwide outrage. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump reportedly informed his cabinet on Thursday that hiring and firing decisions ultimately rest with agency heads—not Musk.
Despite both figures attempting to distance themselves from the recent job cuts, Musk had previously championed slashing federal agencies, advised eliminating entire departments, and even wielded a chainsaw at an event to symbolize his push for government downsizing. His role in the administration’s efforts has drawn legal scrutiny and skepticism from policy experts.
Musk has reportedly assured GOP lawmakers—who are facing backlash from constituents over the termination of thousands of federal employees, including military veterans—that the responsibility lies with federal agencies. According to the Associated Press, the billionaire entrepreneur emphasized in private meetings that he does not personally make firing decisions.
“Elon doesn’t fire people,” said Representative Richard Hudson of North Carolina, who leads the House Republicans’ campaign committee. Speaking after a Capitol Hill meeting with Musk, Hudson added, “He doesn’t have hiring and firing authority. The president has simply empowered him to uncover inefficiencies.”
At the same time, Trump told his cabinet that Musk’s role is strictly advisory, according to Politico. The former president clarified that while Musk can make recommendations regarding government staffing, he does not have the power to make unilateral decisions.
The Trump administration recently created and expanded the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), placing Musk at its helm with a mandate to cut jobs and reduce government spending. Critics have decried Musk’s unelected influence, arguing that it signals a dangerous shift toward oligarchic governance.
Although Trump reaffirmed Musk’s leadership of Doge in a recent joint address to Congress—an acknowledgment that has already been cited in lawsuits challenging the firings—both he and Musk now appear to be shifting their rhetoric.
Trump stated Thursday that he had instructed department secretaries to work with Doge but to exercise “precision” in layoffs, advising a “scalpel rather than a hatchet” approach to downsizing.
The reversal comes as public outrage grows over the mass firings and the apparent consolidation of power within Trump’s administration. With legal challenges mounting, the role of Musk and Doge in federal employment decisions is likely to remain under intense scrutiny in the weeks ahead.
